During World War II, the Japanese military occupied Kiska, a remote and perpetually fog-shrouded island in the Aleutians. Fearing Kiska would be used as a staging ground for attacks on the North American mainland, the U. S.
and Canada assembled a formidable joint task force of nearly 35,000 troops, supported by over 100 ships and heavy naval bombardment. Unbeknownst to Allied intelligence, Japanese forces had secretly evacuated all 5,400 defenders on July 28 under the cover of dense fog in just 45 minutes, leaving the island completely deserted. On August 15, 1943, Allied troops stormed the beaches in full combat gear, expecting a brutal fight.
What followed was a logistical nightmare fueled by zero visibility, treacherous terrain, and high anxiety. For days, troops navigated blinding mist, frequently mistaking fellow friendly units for Japanese patrols. Frantic firefights broke out between American and Canadian forces, leading to 32 deaths from friendly fire.
Meanwhile, hidden Japanese landmines, booby-trapped equipment, trench foot, and severe weather inflicted dozens more casualties. To top off the tragedy, the destroyer USS Abner Read struck a floating Japanese naval mine offshore, killing 71 sailors. By the time the island was officially declared secured, the Allies had suffered over 313 casualties—including 122 dead—without a single Japanese soldier present on the island.